The New Year Tapes
by Electrostorm21
Summary: Short story from Stranger Thongs One-Shots. Now Complete
1. The Tapes

**Hey guys, this is all the chapters of The New Year Tapes in one big one. The chapter where Mike sings will be kept separate because it's not a tape.**

Lucas froze as everyone else, including Mike, laughed. On the screen, Lucas was doing what could've been considered a mix of belly-dancing and... lap-dancing. He was dancing to it to in front of Max, while We Built This City by Starship was playing on the radio. Both Max's; the one on the screen and the one watching the tape, had their heads in the hands. Lucas looked terrified as he watched himself shake his butt at the camera while singing in a bit of a raspy voice, 'We built this city on rock an' rollllllll.' He then proceeded to do the air guitar. Dustin laughed so hard, a bubble came out of his nose. The tape flickered before stopping, it was a while before Jonathan picked himself up from the floor and put the next tape in, 'Ok, I think this is Dustin and Steve's one.' Dustin abruptly stopped laughing and turned to Steve. Steve forgot about this, he'll never hear the end of it now.

The second tape flickered a little before coming on. Everyone stifled a gasp before bursting out into laughter at Steve and Dustin ballroom dancing. Lucas fell off his chair at Dustin's expression, which resembled the face of a man who has seen something horrible. On the screen Steve actually looked rather good at it, before he tripped over his own feet and fell over pulling Dustin along with him. The camera began to shake, making it clear that whoever was filming was shaking with laughter.

On the film, Dustin fell on Steve's stomach, winding the poor boy. Whoever was filming began to wheeze and dropped the camera, revealing the cameraman to be Hopper. On the tape and in real life, both Steve's groaned in pain from embarrassment. Mike spoke up, 'You did know you were sleeping on top of Steve when I woke up, Dustin?' Everyone laughed at that, while Dustin spluttered and Steve shook his head denying that happened. The tape flickered off before stopping. Jonathan stood up and placed the third one in. 'I managed to film Will and Mom and Hopper in this one.' He announced to the group. Will looked devastated as did Joyce and Hopper.

The tape turned on rather quickly and a voice filled the room, 'Once I had a love and it was a gas, soon tuned out had a heart of glass.'

El stared in shock at the screen as the camera turned to show her father belting out in a falsetto voice, 'SEEMS LIKE THE REAL THING, ONLY TO F-I-I-I-IND'. Mike turned to El as her face went redder than he thought possible. Mike was conflicted whether to feel sorry for El or just burst out laughing. El groaned and buried her head into Mike's shoulder.

Hopper wasn't much better as he stared at the screen with a sickened look on his face; watching his drunk self sing and sway to the tune of Heart Of Glass by Blondie. Other than El, Mike, Hopper and Joyce, everyone else was laughing; the Byers' boys were rolling on the floor and Dustin and Steve were holding each other, howling with laughter. The Byers' boys laughter was short lived when their mother came into view; Joyce groaned, she remembered this part. Joyce came into the view of the camera, dancing rather provocatively for a mother of two.

Will started to retch at the sight of his mother's dancing while Jonathan pretty much flew across the room to eject the tape. The room was silent before Will spoke up, 'Let's just agree; we never speak of this again.' Everyone nodded, Joyce's dancing was not something anybody would ever want to remember. Jonathan cleared his throat before placing the fourth tape in, 'I think this is either Will's or mine and Nancy's.'

The tape burst into life with Joyce and Hopper again but this time, it looked like they were trying to pull something. On the tape; Hopper was yelling, 'Stay still kid.' While Joyce was fussing, 'How did you even do this, Will?' Joyce and Hopper moved away and everyone laughed at the sight. Will was stuck in one of the dining room chairs; his legs were through the back and he somehow got a turkey stuck on his head. His muffled voice came through the turkey, 'It stinks in here, let me out.' The party was watching the situation unfold, both on the tape and in real life. Mike turned to Will, 'What happened?' Will cleared his throat before answering, 'I was sitting in that chair with my legs crossed under me, but then it fell back. I stretched and my legs went through the chair.' Will's voice was getting higher so he cleared his throat again before continuing, 'I tried to stand up but I fell forward and my head went into the turkey.' Lucas burst out laughing at the screen, 'Dustin, you're disgusting.' He said watching Dustin grab some meat from the turkey on Will's head. 'I was hungry.'

Jonathan moved forward and took out that tape. 'Ok, next one is the singing group. Jane, you're going to want sit closer for this, Mike's voice is... well, you'll see.' El moved closer to the TV as Mike stared at the back of her head. He gasped quietly, as he remembered what he had promised to El. He didn't have time to think as the next tape came on. His face along with; Lucas, Dustin, Will, Max and Steve's turned a deep red.

Mike gaped as the music started on the tape. He closed his eyes in despair as he began singing into a flower, 'When I had you to myself, I didn't want you around', with Dustin following up with, 'Those pretty faces always made you stand out in a crowd. As if it wasn't enough, 'But someone picked you from the bunch, one glance was all it took,' and 'Now its much too late for me to take a second look.' Came from Lucas and Will both sharing and singing into a hairbrush.

Suddenly Steve and Max stepped out from behind them and began singing as well. Max went first with, 'Oh, baby give me one more chance. Won't you please let me back in your heart.' Everyone noticed she was looking straight at Lucas while saying this. On the couch, Lucas and Max awkwardly shuffled away from each other. Their attention was brought back to the TV when Steve started where Max finished. 'Oh, darlin' I was blind to let you go. But now since I see you in his arms. I want you back.' Somehow nobody noticed Steve staring directly at Nancy when he was singing and if they did, they didn't bring it up.

Nancy spoke up, 'By the way guys, where is my hairbrush?' Lucas and Will glanced at each other, then back at Nancy; 'Um, with your other hair stuff?' Nancy glared at the boys, 'Are you asking me or telling me?' Will shuffled before answering, 'Telling you?' Nancy continued to death glare at the pair of them, while Jonathan put the final tape in. Mike did a double take at Jonathan hunched form; he thought he was imagining it, but he saw it again. He clearly wasn't the only one because his mom leaned forward and squinted her eyes. Dustin was the one who said what everyone was thinking, 'Jonathan? Are you wearing pink underwear?'

Jonathan jumped up banging his head on the table that the TV was situated on while pulling his trousers up, 'No, they're not pink. They're um...' Everyone looked at him amused, 'They were white but they got washed with my red shirt.' He thought he got away with it before his mother piped up, 'You don't own anything red.' Jonathan stared at his mother; his own mother just sold him out. It got worse for him when the tape started playing; everyone's face turned towards the screen as Jonathan danced into view with someone's underwear on his head. Jonathan deflated as he watched his embarrassing self dance with - 'WHY IS MY UNDERWEAR ON YOUR HEAD?' Mike screamed; he knew that pattern looked familiar, he was wearing it right now.

Nancy ejected the tape and turned off the TV, 'I think that's enough for the morning.' Everyone made to get up but El stopped them, 'What about the thing Mike promised?' Mike was hoping to get away before she remembered but it was too late for that as Hopper and Steve pushed him forward, egging him to go on. 'Go on Wheeler, show us .' Mike sighed and moved forward...

 **Ok, that's all the tapes.**


	2. Thousand Years

**Hey guys. This story will merge into one huge chapter tomorrow. I know this song came out in 2011 but it's one of the best I can think of.**

 **I do not own Thousand Years**

Mike sighed and moved forward taking El's hands in his. 'Ok, fine. You've heard me already but I promised you'd hear it.' El smiled, 'You said you made it for me anyway.' Mike rolled his head, 'Yeeeaaahhh, but it was only for you to hear.' El pouted, 'Miiiiikke. Please.' She said, bouncing on her soles. Mike rubbed his eyes and slumped his shoulders, before accepting he wasn't going to get out of this one. 'Someone get me my guitar.' Nancy scarpered upstairs, bringing his guitar back down a few seconds later.

He sat on the sofa; El sitting next to him, beaming with pride for her boyfriend. Everyone else sat back down on the couch and floor, while Jonathan slotted an empty tape into his camera and began filming. Mike noticed and glared at him, 'Really?' Jonathan smiled and began filming, 'Anytime you're ready.'

Mike strummed the guitar into a tune before gazing into El's eyes as he started to sing.

 _Heart beats fast_  
 _Colors and promises_  
 _How to be brave_  
 _How can I love when I'm afraid to fall_

El gasped at his voice; it was as if an angel had came from the heavens, he spoke the words so softly but made it full of meaning. Mike thought back to the moment he met El; he was scared when he turned, expecting to see something terrifying.

 _But watching you stand alone_  
 _All of my doubt, suddenly goes away somehow_  
 _One step closer_

So much had happened in that moment, he had laid eyes on the most beautiful, innocent creature in the world. He didn't know what she could do at the time, all he knew was she was cold, scared, alone. He knew from that moment he would protect her.

 _I have died everyday, waiting for you_  
 _Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years_  
 _I'll love you for a thousand more_

Everyone but the party was shocked, Nancy and Karen jaws had dropped, they had no idea how deep Mike's love for Jane was. Jonathan and Joyce were silently shedding tears, while Hopper stared.

 _Time stands still_  
 _Beauty in all she is_  
 _I will be brave_  
 _I will not let anything, take away_  
 _What's standing in front of me_  
 _Every breath, every hour has come to this  
_ _One step closer_

Mike thought back to the basement when he had protected her from Dustin and Lucas' comments on her being weird. He thought back to the junkyard when Lucas called her a monster and he had tried to defend her. He thought back to the school hallway when Brenner had tried to take her away and he fought against men with guns, knowing full well they would kill him. But that didn't matter, he had to get to El.

 _I have died everyday, waiting for you_  
 _Darling, don't be afraid, I have loved you for a thousand years_  
 _I'll love you for a thousand more_

When she sacrificed herself to save him and Lucas and Dustin, it broke his heart. He remembered the sheer pain of watching her say goodbye, watching her scream as she disappeared. He had felt like his soul was ripped from his body, his heart had slowed to nothing, his brain stopped from thinking. He called her name until his voice was gone. He was taken home and went straight to the basement. He called her on the Supercomm every day after that.

353 days.

Until she came back to save them. Until she came to see him. She came back.

 _And all along I believed, I would find you_  
 _Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years_  
 _I'll love you for a thousand more_

She had changed. She had hair! She looked bad-ass. To Mike; she looked pretty. She always would; to him, she was his everything. The things he did to keep her safe; the three bullies he brutally beaten, the men he killed, the unspeakable monster that he eradicated from existence. Everything he did, he did was for her. For their love.

Their love, which was stronger than anything could ever be, stronger than any bridge, more powerful than any army. If anything or anyone tried to sever their bond, they would not survive. He loved everything about El, everything on El. He loved making love to her, he was passionate and she was... freaking awesome!

Mike shook himself from his thoughts and looked around the room. His sister and mother were still in shock, Jonathan had dropped the camera and was wiping his tears while his mother did the same. The party smiled at Mike and Will gave him a thumbs up. Steve was chuckling to himself and caught Mike's eye. Mike could've sworn he saw tears and Steve was trying to play it cool. Hopper cleared his throat, 'N-Not bad Mike. Pretty g-good.' he croaked out, clearly showing the song hitting him as well.

Mike felt a tug on his hand and looked down. For a split second; he saw the eyes of the love of his life before his ribs suffered a bone-crushing hug and his lips were covered by El's soft ones. He wrapped his arms around her back and tightly hugged her back. She pulled away from the kiss and leaned her head on his; taking his hands in hers, 'I love you Mike.' She said, gazing deep into his brown eyes. Mike smiled, 'I love you too.' El giggled, 'Yeah, I think I noticed.' She leaned her head close to his and whispered softly into his ear, 'you're going to enjoy tonight.'

Mike thought to himself, _If this is a dream, don't pinch me._ They pulled apart their hug but continued to hold hands, Mike speaking up, 'Is there any food?' Karen shook herself from her shock and answered, 'Just turkey and Eggos. Actually just eggos.' They all remembered where that turkey had been, especially Will. 'Just eggos then.' Mike said, as El nodded her head and rested it on his shoulder.

Mike could not think of anywhere else he would want to be right now. Three years ago he had three friends. Now he still had them plus another awesome one; two extra brothers; another mother and father; and one more person. His girlfriend. His best friend. El. Eleven. Jane Hopper. Mike thought back to the question that he asked.

Almost as if she could read his mind, El whispered to him, 'Not yet Mike, I will one day but not yet.' Mike let out a huge sigh of relief before she spoke up again, 'I'm pregnant.'

 **HAHAHAHAHAHA. I'm kidding, that's not what she really said. I just wanted to freak Mike out.**

Mike let out a huge sigh of relief before she spoke up again, 'Still saying yes though, just so you know.' Mike glanced down at her, glaring playfully at her smirk, 'You better get me a ring when we do get married.' Mike smiled and held up her hand, 'Well, this is a promise ring.' referring to the ring he got her for Christmas. El gasped and gave a small chuckle, as she snuggled against Mike's body, 'Happy New Year, Mike.' Mike held her hand and kissed her head, 'Happy New Year, El.'

 **There we go. That is the end of this story. I hope you enjoyed it.**

 **Other than that...**

 **BYYYEEE**


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